This is our own annual competition and is held in October at our AGM, the first meeting of the new season. The theme is chosen by members, who are asked to vote on submitted entries and prizes are awarded, including holding the Fitzwilliam Bison for the year.
Fitzwilliam Competition 2021 Winner: Beverly Benson for ‘Father Time’ (theme: Time).
First Prize of £80 to Bev Benson for Father Time
Second Prize of £50 to Fiona Cristol, for Tea Time Teapot
Joint Third Prize of £25 each to Jerry Seaborn and Margaret Tatton-Brown, For the Life Time Postbox Topper and the Summer Time Platter.
2019 – Entries were exhibited during the annual AGM meeting at Kings Langley Church Hall and the winner announced.
Background
The Fitzwilliam Competition began as a memorial to a founding member, Stan Romer, whose estate funded the three prizes. This has now been taken over by Sylvia Fitzwilliam, widow of another founding member, Mervyn, who was chairman until 2013. Mervyn and Sylvia supported the Guild throughout those years in many ways, including organising workshops, garden parties, outreach events, firings and the quarterly newsletter. They maintained all these activities in the spirit established at the Guild’s foundation and which those running the group today endeavour to follow.
The rules of the competition are
- that the competitors must be paid up current members
- the work is made entirely by the one member who submits it
- the work must be recent – made after our Open Day, when the topic is chosen by vote
- the work is mostly ceramic
The winner receives a 12 month custodianship of the bison trophy (below). In addition, cash prizes are given to First, Second and Third places.
The competition is judged by an independent potter who is also invited to be the guest speaker and demonstrator for that evening. In 2019, the adjudicator was DCPG president, John Higgins.
| Year | Theme | Winners |
|
2020 2019 2018 |
Planters Birds/bird baths Totem poles |
Beverly Benson Andrew Gardner Wendy Peters |
| 2017 | Things with lids | Les Parrott |
| 2016 | Teapots | Mark Compton |
| 2015 | By the Seaside | Jenny Birch |
| 2014 | Contrasts | Ruby Sharp |
| 2013 | Ceramics and Mixed Media | Les Parrott |